Cruise Ships to Hamilton
 

I thought you guys might like to see this.



Hamilton: Cruise central?

JUST CRUISING The MV Grand Mariner got a warm reception when it docked in Hamilton Harbour Saturday.
Related Stories Cruise ship's stop in Hamilton brings fresh tourism potential
(Aug 21, 2010) - The ore carriers and cargo ships that normally slip in and out of Hamilton Harbour will get... .It wasn’t the Queen Mary 2 that sailed into Hamilton harbour on Saturday.

But the little MV Grand Mariner certainly got the royal treatment.

A huddle of dignitaries greeted the noon-hour arrival of the American cruise ship, along with a small colour guard from the HMCS Star naval reserve, hand-made chocolates, welcoming drinks, even a spotless red carpet.

The only thing missing from the civic reception was a brass band.

There was just a spit of rain as the 96-passenger ship sidled up to Pier 8, east of the Discovery Centre, and crew members scrambled to make her fast.

Although neither glittering nor glamourous, the Mariner represents a golden opportunity for local tourism and the Hamilton Port Authority.

It is the first cruise ship to include Hamilton as a port of call on a regularly scheduled itinerary. The 10-day Skylines and Islands cruise, operated by Blount Small Ship Adventures of Rhode Island, was sailing from New York City to Toronto via the Erie Canal and putting in at several New York state towns before hitting Kingston, Port Weller and Hamilton.

The ship returns to Hamilton Thursday on a reverse Toronto-New York cruise, but, unlike Saturday, will not be docking overnight.

Wow.

If there ever was a way to ensure Hamilton gets a bad reputation, float them by the Steel mills in Hamilton harbour. haha.

thats true in a sence however we can't keep Tourists out because of out heritage.

2011 Return visits confirmed for cruise vessel traffic to Hamilton

August 26, 2010 Hamilton, ON – New visitors to Hamilton experienced the city from the water this week, beginning a new program which will see two confirmed repeat visits in 2011. Blount Small Ship Adventures, the Rhode Island based specialty cruise line, has added Hamilton to the itinerary for their Skylines and Islands Tour which transits the Erie Canal and Lake Ontario between New York City and Toronto. “We continue to make gains towards realizing our vision to be the Great Lakes Port of Choice, building Hamilton as a cruise destination fully supports this goal” said HPA president and CEO Bruce Wood.

Blount carries continued tourism impact to Hamilton next year, contributing to raising the city's international profile and bringing positive economic impact through tourism spending. Visitors have enjoyed exploring the city, visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens and having nearby access to churches, shops, restaurants and walking trails. "Thank you for your hospitality. We continue to hear nothing but highlights from the ship's visit to Hamilton and we look forward to returning as part of the 2011 schedule," said Blount operations manager Erika Moore.

The Hamilton Port Authority is pleased to participate in selling the assets of the city and hosting visitors aimed at building its base of ambassadors who take home the stories of their experiences. "Leveraging additional opportunities to promote our waterfront both locally and abroad helps build momentum for waterfront development plans," said Hamilton Waterfront Trust executive director Werner Plessl.

The Port of Hamilton is the largest Canadian port on the Great Lakes in terms of both size and cargo handled. The Hamilton Port Authority’s strategic vision is to be the Great Lakes port of choice.

Blount Small Ship Adventures has been operating for 45 years and creates experiences for their passengers by ‘going where the big ships cannot.’ Based in Warren, RI, their fleet includes the Grande Mariner, Grande Caribe and Niagara Prince.